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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · leaves · deal · bay · pop · net · straw · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pop — to visit
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. craft — a skill
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pop — music
  19. deal — to handle
  20. net — for catching
  21. craft — boats
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pop — soda

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com